


Love (Not) At First Sight

by princessrosberg



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Blindness, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 20:15:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6624661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessrosberg/pseuds/princessrosberg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Pascal first gets to meet Mitch Evans, his brain tells him it's too late to fall in love, but his heart tells him otherwise.<br/>(Or a blindness AU nobody asked for)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love (Not) At First Sight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [montecarlos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/montecarlos/gifts).



> Something for my bestie because i felt like she deserved a little treat after dealing with me for so long! Love you babu <3

Pascal Wehrlein Hamilton is 18 years old when he first sees a change in his vision. He’s sat on the pitwall with Toto, watching his parents race around the Marina Bay circuit in Singapore. The floodlights have been hurting his eyes all evening and at first Pascal just brushed it off because of how bright they were - Nico always complained about the brightness - but now there’s black spots in his left eye, almost like black snow and he frowns in confusion. Toto glances at him from his right, Pascal can see the worried expression glossing over his face but it’s gone in an instance as he focuses back on getting his two drivers around the track. Pascal closes his eyes in the hopes whatever is happening will ease soon, it’s not the first time he’s had this - he remembers when he had his first migraine and his vision was almost completely black - but his head feels fine and it only confuses Pascal more. He sighs slightly, looking back at the race track and trying to enjoy his parents drive around.

 

“Dad?”   
Pascal is on his parents the moment they make it back to the garage. His Vati is being dragged off for interviews leaving only his dad - Lewis - in the garage.   
“Yeah Pascal?”   
Lewis smiles, pulling his suit down to his waist and tying it just above his hips.   
“My vision is all speckledy”   
Pascal says, blinking at his dad in the hopes the black spots will disappear. However they don’t move, the black spots still taunt his vision and Pascal’s nerves start to kick in.   
“What?”   
Lewis frowns and steps closer to his son, looking into his brown eyes. Pascal shrugs in response, looking over his dad’s face and sighing at his distorted vision, the black specks covering parts of his dad’s face.   
“I don’t know, it looks like black snow. I thought it was the floodlights because i know Vati doesn’t like them but it’s been over 4 hours now and it’s still there”   
“I’ll book you in with the optician when we get back to Monaco”   
  


_ A rare case of cataracts. _ That’s what the optician had said with a sad smile. His Vati had burst out crying almost instantly, clinging to his dad as he tried to calm him down. Pascal was too confused and scared to react, just continued to listen to the optician go on and on about  _ why and how _ , but he didn’t pay attention, not until he said it was an incurable case.   
“It’s strange to see this in your age Pascal, usually a simple operation can prevent the vision loss but in this case there’s nothing we can do”   
He says with a sigh, looking over the sheets and sheets in Pascal’s files.   
“It’s a pretty early case however, i’d say you have around 10-11 months before you lose sight completely”   
He pulls a few leaflets out of his desk draw, handing them to Pascal with a smile. Pascal looks into his eyes and it feels like they’re mocking now - how someone at the age of 50 has better sight, that  _ his  _ eyes work perfectly, but Pascal is going to lose all use of his eyes and he  _ fucking hates it.  _ He glances down at the leaflets -  _ Dealing with blindness, Adapting your home, Support groups for those with blindness - _ Pascal sighs.

 

The 10 months seem to fly by, he has his first kiss with Carlos at the next race. Hands fisted in his soft hair as their tongues flick against each other behind the Toro Rosso garage. He travels the world with his parents in their jet, takes in the sights of Italy and America and Japan, visits places he wouldn’t normally get to see on race weekends. He loses his virginity with Jolyon - Kimi and Romain’s son - when he’s 19 at the Australian Grand prix. They’d been texting and flirting for 2 months, he’d not told him about the blindness soon to come, that he wouldn’t be able to see Jolyon’s dark hair or charming smile. But it didn’t really matter, because all he was to him was a simple fuck and Pascal wishes he could take his virginity back. He wakes up on the Sunday of the Belgian Grand Prix with white vision.

 

“I can’t  _ believe  _ i have to walk around holding your hand”   
Pascal groans, trying to pull his hand away from Carlos who just tightens his grip. It’s been a year since his vision disappeared, and Pascal surprisingly adapted to getting about his daily life without sight. Of course there were slip ups, he had to hold onto his parents for the first 3 months wherever he went, they bought him a guide dog for his 20th birthday called Noodle who stayed by his side for most of the year. But at races like these, like America where his dog has to stay at home, Carlos takes his place and guides him around the paddock.    
“Well i don’t want you walking into a news reporter or falling over another driver do i?”   
Carlos laughs by his side. Pascal stops suddenly, his thoughts racing about the boy next to him. It’s been over a year since he’s seen Carlos’ face, seen his brown eyes and tanned skin and freckled nose. It’s a strange thought, to think the Spaniard has grown up and changed so much without him being able to see.    
“Are you okay?”   
“Yeah, sorry Carlos”   
  


“Pascal! There’s someone we want you to meet”   
Pascal pretends he doesn’t hear his Vati shouting from downstairs, turns his music up and relaxes back into his pillows. A few seconds later the headphones get ripped from his ears and his Vati is sighing from his left.   
“Just because you’re blind doesn’t mean you can’t hear me, i want you down stairs Pascal”   
Pascal sighs and pulls himself up from his bed, his guide dog - Noodle - is by his feet in an instance and he reaches down to scratch behind the dog's ear.   
“Alright i’ll come”   
He’s got the entire apartment mapped out in his head now, he knows how many steps it is into the hallway, how many steps towards the living room and that the bookshelf sticks out just a tiny bit on the right - the one he kept banging his hip against. He takes another 2 steps towards the sofa, but jumps slightly when he bumps into another person. Their arms grab onto Pascal and he knows it’s someone new. He’s memorised every detail of the different touches - how his dad’s hands are softer and that Carlos has a lighter touch than anyone else. But this is different, they’re so  _ warm and gentle  _ and Pascal blushes slightly at the thought.    
“I’m sorry i...didn’t know you was there”   
The person laughs slightly, and by god if it isn't the sweetest laugh Pascal has ever heard.    
“Don’t apologise, it’s nice to finally meet you Pascal”   
He can tell it’s a boy from how deep their voice is, but he wasn't ready for how smooth and silky it was, the undertones of an Australian accent peeking through. He feels his dad’s hands on him who pushes him down onto the sofa.   
“Pascal, this is Mitch, he’s Mark and Sebastian’s son”   
Pascal frowns in confusion and surprise and looks over to where he can hear his dad speaking.   
“I didn't know Sebastian had another son”   
“Neither did we until a month ago”   
His Vati says from the kitchen.    
“I thought it was time he finally met you, i told him all about you and what you went through and he’s been dying to meet you”   
Another voice jumps in from opposite him, he can tell it’s Sebastian’s. Pascal laughs slightly and shakes his head.   
“Just how many people are in our apartment? I don’t need even more obstacles to fall over”   
“It’s just Sebastian and Mitch, don’t worry darling”   
His Vati says. Pascal smiles and turns back to his right, he can feel Mitch’s leg brushing against his own. Mitch starts to speak, talks about his career and his parents and friends, and Pascal can already feel himself falling in love with Mitch’s voice.

  
“Hey Mitch?”   
Pascal fidgets with the hem of his shirt as he speaks. The wind is blowing against his skin and he shivers slightly; Mitch had surprised him with a visit to the Blue Lake National Park. He’d held onto Pascal’s hand the entire way around, describing everything to him so Pascal could picture it in his mind. But it’s not the park Pascal has been thinking of, it’s the face to put to the voice he wants to know.   
“Yeah?”   
Mitch replies.    
“What do you look like?”   
Pascal turns to face Mitch, wishing that he could see his smiling face but being only greeted by the light from the sun.    
“Oh, urm well, i have brown eyes and brown hair”     
“Come on, you have to give me more detail than that, you could look like my dad for all i know”   
Mitch doesn't say anything, instead Pascal feels his hands brush against his own before he brings them up to his face. Pascal’s fingers graze across his skin, feeling how soft it is beneath his fingertips. He runs his fingers gently across Mitch’s face, feeling the dip of his nose, his long eyelashes and wet lips. They wind up into his hair, his fingers bunch around the soft locks and he doesn't know when Mitch got so close, when their noses brushed together and their lips connected. It’s only a soft touch, Mitch is gentle and doesn't push him too far, his hands graze across Pascal’s shoulders. Pascal soon pulls away, his hands dropping down to rest against Mitch’s neck. He smiles, leaning forward to rest his head against Mitch’s shoulder.   
“You’re beautiful”   
He presses his lips against the side of Mitch’s neck, enjoying the feel of his arms around his body.    
  
  
The wedding is beautiful apparently -  though Pascal can’t really tell. His parents walk him down the aisle, one on either smile and although he can’t see them, he knows they have a proud smile on both their faces. Carlos has the rings on a silk pillow, he can hear Sebastian’s crying from the front row and feel Mitch’s hand curling around his own. He’d dreamed about his wedding for years, how he’d see his parents smiling faces, see his husband's tears, and even though all his eyes present him is a bright white light, Pascal wouldn't change it for the world. 


End file.
